Chevron Corp. will face a judge but not a jury when it heads to federal court in New York next week to try to undermine a $19 billion environmental verdict in Ecuador.
U.S. Judge Lewis Kaplan ruled Monday that there were no longer grounds for a jury trial, after Chevron agreed to drop monetary damages against lawyer Steven Donziger and other representatives of the Ecuadorian villagers who won the judgment in 2011.
Chevron is suing Donziger and his cohorts for fraud and racketeering, arguing they used improper tactics to win the environmental case. The defendants deny the charges and accuse Chevron of unethical practices. A trial is set for Oct. 15.
The oil giant said last week that it would drop damages against Donziger if Judge Kaplan agreed to try all issues in the case. Instead of money damages, Chevron said it would seek other relief to prevent the Ecuadorians and their lawyers from seizing its assets around the world.
A favorable verdict could be a powerful tool for Chevron in trying to block efforts by the Ecuadorians to collect the $19 billion judgment.
